I Could Get Used To This
by Black Mary Janes
Summary: Catt got left out of the first adventure, but not this time! Just as her band is ready to blow up, she's off to help Ben clear her family name. But she's in store for a lot more than that once Mitch shows up and threaten everything she loves. Riley/OC
1. What about Thomas Gates?

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**Hey!! So this is the movie insert that I was asking about in my other story about Catt, **_Odds and Ends._**If you are a reader of that story, then you already know that follows Catt and her involvement in the treasure hunt told in _Book of Secrets_. If you are finding this story first, then you probably don't know who Catt is. You might want to read **_Odds and Ends_,** because the ficlets in that story play a huge role not only in introducing Catt but in explaining the past for Ben and Riley as well. I will not be taking the time to explain any of this in this story, so it is possible to get confused. **

**Okay, now, time to disclaim: I don't own any of the proper nouns other than Catt. **

**Happy reading!! (I had a teacher in elementary school that wrote that everywhere. It was a little disturbing.)**

**Karina.**

* * *

Catt Gates sighed, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder. Her eyes were glazing over as her uncle Ben, in his stride standing at the podium, told the too-familiar story of their ancestor Thomas Gates. Separating her hair into three sections, she quietly began weaving it into a braid as she listened, her gaze drifting over the collection of college students around her. A recent college grad herself, she could feel sympathy for them. A good number of them looked genuinely interested, but most were here solely for the credit.

"So, recapping…" Ben began, signaling the conclusion of his lecture. Catt sat up straighter, attempting to look like she had been paying attention. Her grandfather, sitting next to her on the side of the stage, turned to give her a sharp look. Just as Catt was beginning to form a guilty expression, she felt her phone vibrate from the back pocket of her jeans. Hearing the sound, Patrick's look of disapproval deepened. Checking the ID, Catt stood up.

"I need to take this." She whispered to her grandfather, who nodded and waved her off. Slipping out a side door into a cool, green courtyard, Catt flipped open the phone.

"Hello, stranger." She said, a slight smile at her lips.

"Catt!" The familiar voice sighed. "Good, you picked up."

"Why wouldn't I?" She asked, leaning against the wall.

"Because that would simply top off the capital day I am having." Riley's voice had a punch of humorless sarcasm that was only slightly unlike him. "I need a favor."

"What have you done now?" She asked, glancing down into her purse for her car keys.

"I'll tell you on the ride home." He sighed. "Can you just pick me up at the Border's on L Street?"

"Yeah, sure thing." Catt started walking towards the parking lot, scanning the lot for her Subaru. "Where's the Ferrari?"

"I'll tell you when you get here." He said. "We're going to lunch too. I'm starving."

"Like that's anything new." Catt mumbled, sliding into the driver's seat. "I'll be there in like, ten minutes. I'm at the Georgetown campus." They said goodbye and hung up. Catt rolled her eyes, wondering what Riley got himself into.

_oOoOoOoOo_

"6 million??" Catt felt her jaw drop as she repeated the phrase. Riley nodded, attacking his ziti a little too viciously. "That's…a lot." Catt finally added.

"Yes, Catt. It is." Riley was still glaring down at his pasta, as though it were the dish's fault that his Ferrari had been taken from him. Catt felt a certain amount of pity for him. He wasn't much older than her, and she knew that she could have been just as easily swindled. Ben, she knew, would not be as sympathetic. Not because he didn't like Riley; he felt a certain responsibility towards the younger man. Ben would assume it was one of life's hard lessons, though, one that Riley would have had to learn at some point anyway. Ben also did not understand the odd devotion to the car like Catt did.

"Well, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but it could be worse." Catt shrugged, sipping her iced tea. "You could be kicked out of your apartment, too. And then you would be a homeless bum on the streets, having to fight off other bums with just your bare hands. And your hands aren't good for much more than working a keyboard. You're just not a fighter, Riley. You would never survive the hobo jungle out there." Riley laughed gently, and Catt frowned. "And with this new look you've got, you wouldn't really fit in with the other hobos. They'd probably tease you. You'd end up crawling back to me and Ben, and we'd have to feel sorry, so you would end up living in Grandpa Patrick's basement, which isn't very comfy."

"Patrick's basement?" Riley threw her a quizzical look. "Why not a nice, cozy room at the manor?"

"Long story." Catt rolled her eyes, feeling her cell phone vibrate again. "Hold on." She flipped open the phone. "Speak of the devil. How are you, Ben?"

"Catt, you need to come home." Ben cut her off.

"Why?" Catt asked, knitting her eyebrows together. "I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"The family name is being slaughtered once again." Ben said. In a hollow voice, he explained that Thomas's name had been found on a missing Booth diary page. "Your grandfather is having a fit. He's just walking around pacing." Ben sighed. "I don't know what to do. We know Thomas wasn't involved. There was no way he was involved."

"I know, Ben." Catt nodded, Riley watching, concerned. "Look, you know what you have to do. You have to have another look at that page. There's got to be something you missed the first time. Some kind of proof that Thomas wasn't involved."

"Proof." Ben nodded to himself, and idea forming. "We need to look at that page again. But she wouldn't…no. I have to break in." Catt raised an eyebrow, hoping Ben would elaborate. "We need Riley." Ben finally said. Catt opened her mouth to speak, but Ben cut her off. "Meet me in front of his place as soon as you can."

"Okay, but Ben, Riley isn't…" Catt trailed off, realizing Ben had hung up on her. She rolled her eyes, and reminded herself that he was acting like a jerk because he was stressed.

"What isn't Riley?" He asked, finishing his lunch.

"At his apartment." Catt said, pulling out her debit card. "And I'm assuming, since he is also Ferrari-less, that it is my job to escort him home, where we have a completely stressed-out Ben Gates waiting for us."

"This sounds like fun." Riley said, motioning over the waitress.

_oOoOoOoOo_

Catt pulled up in front of Riley's apartment, Ben sitting on the front steps, reading. She popped the trunk, and helped Riley unload his stuff as Ben looked up at them in confusion.

"I tried to tell you he was with me." Catt yelled over the open back. "But you're being a stressed out jerk."

"Sorry." Ben muttered as Catt slammed the back shut. He turned his gaze to Riley. "Where's the Ferrari?"

"IRS impounded it." Riley said, setting down the cut-out that Catt had laughed hysterically at.

"IRS?" Ben asked.

"My accountant set up a corporation on an island that didn't exist, and assured me that that's how rich people did it." Riley informed him, trying and failing to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "So I got audited, and slapped with a huge fine, plus interest." Riley sighed, looking down at Ben. "Do you know what taxes are on 5 million?" Ben shook his head. Catt had already been informed of this. "6 million."

Ben and Catt let out identical low whistles. Riley gave them both a strange look.

"But enough about me." Riley sat down next to Ben, the day beginning to catch up to him. "What's new with you?" He was genuinely interested, as Catt had kept mum about most of the details.

"Well, my girlfriend kicked me out, I'm living with my dad…and my family killed President Lincoln." Ben mumbled. Catt nodded, leaning against the car.

"All right." Riley nodded in mock approval.

"I need your help." Ben finally admitted. Catt and Riley both laughed.

"As usual." Catt said, getting back into the driver's seat.

_oOoOoOoOo_

"Remember the plan, Catt." Ben said, getting out of the Subaru which Catt had parked under an overhang on the back of the garage.

"Stay in the car, be ready to go pedal to the medal, I get it." Catt said, watching Riley jump out. "Just keep your cell phone on in case."

"Okay." Ben mumbled as Riley slammed the door.

"Good luck, boys." Catt called out the door before Ben closed it.

_oOoOoOoOo_

Not five minutes later, Catt saw a pair of headlights head up the long driveway. Hitting her number one speed dial, she put the phone to her ear.

"Someone's coming." She hissed as soon as Ben picked up.

"I can see the car." Both watched as Abigail stepped out, a vaguely familiar guy running around to help her.

"That's Conner the White House curator." Catt muttered, watching them talk. "He was asking her out before she even kicked you out."

"Thanks, Catt." Ben rolled his eyes. "We'll be out in a minute."

"You better hurry." Catt said before hanging up.

She watched Conner and Abigail enter, and then saw Conner come out. She waited, but didn't see the other two males she knew were in there. Knowing Riley would keep his phone on vibrate, she hit her number two speed dial.

"Now's not a good time, Catt." Riley said as he picked up.

"Why?"

"I cannot believe you broke in!" Catt heard Abigail yell.

"That's why." Riley said. Both Riley and Catt waited as Ben and Abigail negotiated. Finally, after a deal made with Boston tea tables (_which_, Catt though to herself, _I had helped pick out_.), Riley relayed the message to pull out to the front.

As everyone, Abigail included, loaded into the car, Catt couldn't help but insist that Riley take the front seat.

"Are you trying to torture them?" He asked, sliding in next to Catt.

"Make them think, more like." She smirked, hearing them bicker already. "They make a good team. They just need to admit it."

"Really?" Riley looked back at the bickering couple. "Well, good luck."

_oOoOoOoOo_

"Ben, we've been looking at this page for hours." Riley grumbled, pulling off his glasses. "There's nothing there.

"Ben, I really don't think we're going to find anything." Abigail shook her head gently, watching the screen.

Ben sighed, rubbing his forehead. Catt watched, knowing she was thinking the same thing. There had to be _something_.

"Look at it this way." Riley started an effort to cheer up his two friends. "In a hundred years, no one is going to remember anyone involved in the Lincoln assassination besides Booth."

"That's not true." Ben argued, dropping his hand. "Do you know the expression "His name is mud"?"

"Yes, of course" Riley said.

"Really?" Ben looked at him in slight disbelief. Catt groaned to herself, knowing what was coming. "Do you know the origin?"

Riley gave him a look. "Does anyone but you?" Catt raised a hand, but Riley's expression informed her that she didn't count. She tuned out the lecture, having heard it several times before.

"Dr. Samuel Mudd was convicted of being a coconspirator in the Lincoln assassination. The evidence was circumstantial, he was later pardoned, but it didn't matter. Mudd's name still lives in infamy and I will not let Thomas Gates' name be mud." Catt admired the determination in his voice, but was beginning to think it was hopeless. Staring at the page, she didn't see anything but the words clearly written and a few smudges. Well, that smudge kind of looked like an X. _Wait…X is a letter. _She though to herself. Pointing to the screen, she looked over and saw Abigail nodding, her eyes on the same X.

"Ben, look at this." Abigail sat up, pointing to the letter. Ben turned to the screen, putting his glasses back on. Squinting slightly, he caught sight of the letter between Catt and Abigail's fingers.

"Oh…" His eyes widened slightly as he extended his vision to include the next couple of smudges that were slowly becoming clearer. "That's quite something, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Riley leaned over, also inspecting the page. "It says smudge." Abigail gave him a look, and Catt laughed gently. "It's nothing."

Ben shook his head, and started to take command. "Residual ink from the facing page. Flip it." Abigail performed a few quick key functions as Catt moved in even closer.

"The letters are backwards." She said, realizing that what had looked like a random symbol was actually an E. As the page flipped, it became obvious that what had been just smudges were now letters paired together in a few neat lines across the page.

"It's the cipher!" There was a note of triumph as Ben made his discovery. Abigail quickly agreed. "It's the cipher! Playfair ciphers encode letters in pairs. This. This could prove his story."

"Ben." Abigail said, a grounding tone in her voice. "Unless you decode the cipher, this does not prove your theory."

"That's okay, that's okay." Ben reassured her, still staring at the screen in awe. "All we need is a five letter keyword."

"What's the keyword?" Riley asked, getting in on the party.

"I don't know yet." Ben said flatly.

"Great." Catt rolled her eyes, instantly thinking back to the story. If there was a key word, it would be hidden in there somewhere.

"Let's start from the beginning." Riley was saying, puling Catt back into the present. "A. Aardvark."

"More than five letters." Catt automatically corrected him as Abigail got up and headed to the printer. Riley jumped into her seat, starting to type in words at random. "It won't be a random word." She reasoned quietly. "It's something we already know. It's got to be in the story somehow. Thomas wouldn't do that."

"Catt, I doubt Thomas Gates knew that his great great grandson was going to have to find the treasure to clear the family name." Riley reminded her. She stood next to him, her eyes on the screen.

"He would have said something." She shook her head, thinking. "He would have left a clue. He was Gates. They're as bad as Freemasons with the whole leaving clues thing."

"You need to stop." Riley said, rolling his eyes. "You're getting too much like Ben."

Catt rolled her eyes and hit his arm. He hit her back, a bit more gently. Catt kicked him, the rubber sole of her Chuck Taylors hitting the canvas upper of his Converse. Riley kicked back, hitting her in the shin. She winced slightly, but raised her hand and hit him upside the head. Finally, Riley swiveled the computer chair around, coming face to face with the woman behind him.

"Catt, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into." He hissed, his face inches from hers.

"You wouldn't hurt me." She smirked. "I'm a girl. If Ben's taught you anything, it's chivalry."

Riley thought for a moment, trying to find a way to argue the point, but he knew she was right. Ben had instilled in him very early on that any woman, most especially his niece, was to be treated with the utmost respect in his presence. "Fine then." He finally conceded. "I won't hurt you. But I can make you miserable."

"How?" Catt asked, raising an eyebrow. Her gaze was so steady on Riley, she didn't notice how his hands had slowly started to raise up to her sides.

"Oh, I might know of a few secret spots…" He trailed off, his fingers tickling her sides. Catt instantly felt her knees buckle as the sensation made her start to giggle incoherently.

"No, Riley!" She managed to shriek before she dissolved into a fit of laughter. Placing her hands on the desk to keep her standing, she tried to control her laughter. "Not…fair!" She managed to spit out. "Ow, it hurts." She wheezed. Riley stopped instantly.

"What happened?" Ben asked, looking over from the printer.

"Riley made me laugh so much I pulled something in my abs." Catt moaned, Riley jumping up and pushing her into the chair. She was still laughing, though she clutched her stomach tightly. "Ow. You suck." She finally glared up at him.

"I didn't mean to." Riley looked from Ben to Catt, concerned. "I swear."

"It was an accident." Catt agreed. She straightened up, taking a deep breath. "And it's not that bad." She mock-glared, sneering. "Riley's just a mean bean."

"Am not." Riley responded instantly.

"Let's go before you two break something." Ben rolled his eyes, the cipher in hand. Catt nodded, and she, Riley, and Abigail followed him out.


	2. Family Comes First

**Hello!! Chapter One went over really well, thanks to all of you that read/reviewed!! Just a heads up, I will most likely be changing the name of this story. I don't feel like the title fits, so I'm looking around for others. I'm happy to hear any suggestions you have!!  
**

**Dis/Claimer:I own Catt, the Midnight Judges (not the originals, obvious, seeing as they are dead), and ROTFLCOPTER Records. That's it. Everything else belongs to someone else.**

**This chapter is being posted in honor of my survival of the SATs!! YAY for not being killed by a test!!**

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Catt didn't sleep well that night. Not only was the Thomas Gates cipher weighing on her mind, but she also had an important meeting the next morning. Her band, the Midnight Judges, were meeting with an executive from a record company that wanted to sign them. Jake Jackson, head of ROTFLCOPTER Records, had been following them around for weeks, watching them play everything from the small clubs that he had found them in straight up to the band's biggest audience yet, opening up for Fall Out Boy for two weeks. After all his observation, he had made the appointment with the three girls and two boys that made up the Midnight Judges to discuss what he thought their career path would be and to finalize the contract. Just the thought was enough to make Catt shiver with excitement, which accounted for the lack of sleep.

As the glowing green numbers across the room switched to reveal that it was 7 on the dot, Catt groaned and dragged herself from bed. She knew there was no time to get anymore sleep, and if she wanted to be the first one ready, she would have to beat her room/band mates to the bathroom.

_oOoOoOoOo_

At quarter to nine, Catt, Lacey, and Greta were parked outside the three story structure that housed the boys, waiting.

"They have thirty seconds before I run in there with my pepper spray." Lacey was watching the time on her cell phone, glancing up at the front door every now and then.

"Chill, Lace." Greta rolled her eyes, snuggling down into the back seat with her chai. She took a long sip before looking to the drivers seat. "So, Catt. How was your date yesterday? I know you got back from your uncle's little speech thing late."

"It wasn't a date." Catt blushed slightly, busying herself with her iPod hook-up. "Riley's just a friend."

"Could have fooled me." Lacey mumbled. "You two always look a little too close whenever I see you."

"Guys, he's not into me." Catt rolled her eyes. "I'm Ben's crazy little shadow, remember?"

"Which you seem oddly bitter about, for someone who isn't that into him." Greta pointed out. Catt just blushed deeper as she finally saw two male figures walk out of the building.

"About time!!" She yelled out the window, looking for a distraction. Her clean cut drummer and dread-locked guitarist both waved, climbing into Matt's car.

"All right, Catt, let's get this show on the road!" Lacey yelled. Rolling her eyes, Catt put the car in drive, but was distracted by the chiming of her cell phone. Keeping one foot on the brake, she found her phone, flipping it open to find one new text message. Eyes scanning the words, she smiled, knowing how much of an effort the quick note had been for Riley so early in the morning.

_Good luck today, Rock Star. _

_oOoOoOoOo_

An hour later, the band found an IHOP to have a celebratory breakfast.

"We have a label, we have a label." Lacey and Matt were singing in obnoxious tones as Catt, Greta, and Jamison pretended not to know them.

"I just want a stack of chocolate chip pancakes." Catt told the waitress, quickly kicking her friends under the table. As the two moaned in pain, she whipped out her phone and texted her uncle and Riley with the news.

The band chatted and ate their meal, the others making plans on how to spend their first day as employed musicians. Catt, on the other hand, stayed out of their talk, thinking about the cipher. She couldn't get the nagging feeling from her brain that she was missing something every time she ran over the story in her mind.

"So, Catt, you coming with us?" Jamison asked. Catt looked up, not even sure what she was being asked to agree with.

"Actually, guys, I think I'm going to skip out early." She explained, feeling a little guilty. "Ben is caught up in something again, and I think he needs my help."

"Okay." Matt shrugged it off, as did Greta and Jamison. Lacey, though, looked unimpressed.

"Catt, come on." She said flatly. "It's your day to celebrate. Don't do this again."

By again, she meant ditching the band to be with her uncle. She had done it a few times before, mostly because Ben had needed her more. Although he would never admit it, and Catt would never bring it up, Ben looked for her support in most of his adventures. And with Catt, family always came first. All she had was because of her family, and she would always support them when they needed it. This was one of those times, and Catt had thought that Lacey would understand.

"I have to." She explained. "He needs moral support more than anything else. And he's always been there for me. For us." It was true. Ben, normally not up for loud noises in general, had braved one of his greatest fears, rock concerts, to support Catt and the band. And Riley was practically their stalker. If he couldn't physically be at the show, he would a always managed to send something for them, starting as simple as a text message and sky-rocketing up to the singing messenger he had sent on their Valentine's Day show (though Catt was sure that one was a bit more of a joke). More often then not, though, Catt would be singing and turn to stage left to see Riley standing there, bobbing his head and attempting to look natural, while Ben tried to pretend he wasn't there. And for some reason, that always made her feel better.

"Catt, you're going to ditch us for him again." Lacey pointed out.

"Yes, I am." She answered, a bit more defiantly. "He's family, Lace. Even you know that family always comes first with me."

"We're your family too!" She argued back.

"Well, you're sure not acting like family." Catt hissed, slamming her part of the check on the table and storming out.

The stunned silence was finally broken by Greta, who had been staring intently at her Belgium Waffles.

"Well, first day as professional musicians also brings the first fight as professional musicians." She munched on her waffles for a moment, then piped up. "Shotgun."

_oOoOoOoOo_

Still fuming, Catt let herself into her grandfather's house, knowing that Ben would be there. She wasn't counting on seeing Riley there with his set up, or her grandfather staring intently at the computer screen. Setting her purse next to his laptop, she leaned over Riley to see what he was doing. Some intense looking decoder was up, and Riley was currently typing the word 'bacon' into the engine.

"So you just started at the beginning and worked forward?" She asked. Riley nodded, his focus on the screen. Ben appeared out of nowhere, also checking the screen. When nothing but gibberish turned up he turned away.

"Hey Catt." Riley said, smiling up at her. She returned the gesture, but it was only half hearted. "Okay. Baron." He typed in the word, with more gibberish resulting.

Catt glanced into the other room, where her grandfather was just as focused on another screen. "How's he doing?" She asked Ben, who just shook his head.

Catt wandered in, her eyes growing accustomed to the sudden change in lighting. She recognized Dr. Nichols instantly, and knew that he was announcing to the world that Thomas Gates was a mastermind.

"Dad, would you stop watching that?" Ben came in, flopping down in the chair opposite his father. Catt began running through the story of Thomas Gates in her head for the twentieth time, sure that there had to be a clue there. Going through words alphabetically would take years.

"Grandpa, we need to hear the story again." Catt interrupted the father-son conversation that had started. "There's got to be something we're all missing. Some sort of clue."

"Yeah, Dad." Ben nodded. "Let's hear the story again from Grandpa Charles."

Patrick sighed, but started. "Grandpa heard his father say "treasure map". Then there was a commotion-"

"We've got all that." Ben interrupted.

"Is there something else?" Catt kneeled down next to the older man, her eyes growing wide with anticipation. "Something he said or did?"

Patrick looked at his granddaughter for a moment, then his eyes grew to match hers. "There is. Pay attention, Catt." Patrick turned his gaze to Ben, and continued. "Thomas took his son's hand, and with his dying breath, said "The debt that all men pay.""

"The debt that all men pay?" Ben asked blankly. Immediately, Catt's mind began to reel. Debt…something given…by all men…so an equalizer…

"The debt that Thomas paid." Patrick said in a hushed voice.

"Riley!" Catt yelled, rushing into the other room as the answer became clear.

"Well that's five letters." Ben concluded, standing up.

"Try death!" Ben and Catt called simultaneously.

"What?" Riley asked, look at both of them.

"Death. The key word is death." Riley typed it in, still looking at Catt in wonder.

"What?" She finally asked.

"You figured out a riddle." He said simply. Catt gasped. She had. Her first one, without so much as a hint.

"Apparently Catt is a very late bloomer." Ben snickered. Catt glared at him.

"Lab-Labu-Labo…it's gibberish." Riley concluded, trying to read the screen.

"Laboulaye." Ben nodded, pleased.

"Laboulaye?" Catt repeated, confused.

"Laboulaye." Patrick repeated, astonished.

"Laboulaye!" Riley repeated, triumphant. He looked around at the others, then his face fell. "What?"

"My question exactly." Catt muttered.

"Who?" Ben corrected. "Edourard Laboulaye"

Catt tuned out the rest of Ben's muttering, reaching for her phone. Noting she had a new text, she flipped it open to see a message from Greta.

_Don't worry about Lace. She's just a little worked up right now. We all hope you're feeling better and helping Uncle Ben out. Good luck to both of you! Oh, and did your family really kill Lincoln?_

Catt rolled her eyes, and quickly texted back a thank you and quick explanation that no, they did not kill Lincoln. By this time, Ben was ranting on a telephone.

"…On the Statue of Liberty-" Ben looked at the phone, then let out a small laugh of disbelief. "She hung up!"

"She took your call, that was good!" Patrick pointed out.

"Who?" Catt asked, coming up behind Riley.

"Abigail." He said. Then, putting an arm around her shoulder, he pulled her into the room and closer to him. In a low voice, he asked. "Are you okay? You seem a bit off?"

"I'm fine." She muttered, watching Patrick and Ben converse. "We got the deal."

"I know!" Riley grinned. "I checked my text, but didn't have time to get back to you. I would have thought that you would still be out celebrating."

"Lacey and I had a bit of fight." Catt explained. "But I'm needed here, and she should know that."

"Family comes first." Riley repeated, having heard the phrase from Ben before. "So why am I here?"

"You're family." Catt reassured him. Riley grinned, looking up in time to hear "Which Statue of Liberty?"

"Exactly." He said, in an effort to look like he had been following along. Catt gave him a look, and his face faltered. "Wait…there's more than one?"

"Actually, there are three, Riley." Patrick corrected him.

"One in New York, one in Luxembourg Garden, and one in…Paris?" Catt guessed.

"Yes." Ben nodded. "But he only called one of them his lady."

Catt thought for a minute, then looked up in shock. "So does this mean…?" Ben nodded and Catt let out a squeal.

"What?" Riley asked as Ben and Patrick ran upstairs.

"We're going to Paris!" She screamed, hugging Riley.

_oOoOoOoOo_

Catt had been on long flights before. You could almost say that she was used to them. Her jet-lag wasn't even that bad anymore, she realized as she stood with her uncle and Riley in front of the Sine only four hours after jumping off the plane.

"This is, like, impossible, what you're doing." Ben commented in obvious amazement. Catt watched, an amused smile at her lips as Riley controlled the helicopter with a smug grin.

"Glad to see you're enjoying it." He said. Catt laughed, the breeze playing with her long dark hair. Riley spared a glance at her, and added. "To think, you told me that playing with toys would never be useful."

"I stand corrected." She said, moving closer to catch a look at the screen that was picking up the signal from the camera attached to the copter.

"Move up towards the torch." Ben said.

"I'm trying. It's not as easy as it looks." Riley whined gently.

"No, I don't doubt you." Ben said, grinning.

"Yes, he does." Catt smirked. Ben threw her a look, and Riley laughed.

"I see I have Catt on my side." He threw an arm around her and she joined in his laughter. Suddenly, Ben was distracted by something across the street. Catt heard the word "officer", and decided not to follow. She didn't do well in front of police. She always managed to develop a stutter around anyone with a badge.

"This is a little ironic." Riley suddenly said. Catt gave him a curious look. "Well, we're in Paris, the most romantic city in the world. Ben just got thrown out by his girlfriend, you and that guy broke up exactly six months ago today, and I still can't get a date."

Catt laughed, realizing that he was right. "That is a bit ironic." She agreed, her head dropping to his shoulder. "It was six months, wasn't it?"

"I remember, because you made me cancel dinner with my mom so I could come over and eat ice cream for ten hours with you." Riley joked.

"I didn't make you." Catt corrected. "You offered. It was also your idea to buy a gallon of ice cream."

"Yeah, but wasn't that fun?" He asked. Suddenly, he spotted something on the screen, and hit the zoom button.

Catt nodded. "Best night of my life."

"I found it." He muttered. Hitting the capture button, he showed Catt. Leaning in, she realized it was all in French.

"I can't read it." She admitted as Riley steered the helicopter back in. "Can you?"

"Nope." He shook his head, scooping down to pick up his favorite toy. "Let's hope Ben can."

"He can't." Catt called, but Riley was already running across the street. She rolled her eyes at both Riley and the fact that in her heels and skirt, she couldn't run after him. Taking her time to cross the street, she arrived in time to see Riley standing to the side a little sulkily, and a police officer holding the controller.

"Across the sea, these twins stand…determined?" He checked with his companion.

"Resolute." The other guy said, shaking his head.

"Resolute...to preserve what we are looking for. -Laboulaye, 1876" The police officer finished.

Ben began his thinking process. Catt listened, shaking her head and nodding occasionally. It seemed that after her brainwave with 'death', she was well spent. Although the phrase Resolute Twins sounded vaguely familiar, she couldn't think of why. Playing with the hem of her sweater, she waited for Ben to hit on something.

"Trade routes between Thailand and France?" Catt raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "No. You're right. That's wrong." Ben nodded towards Catt. "HSM Resolute. A British ship lost in the Arctic. Salvaged by American whalers. It was brought back to England, and when it was retired Queen Victoria had two desks made from the timbers. Volia: Resolute Twins."

"Why does he know this stuff?" Catt asked Riley, who just shook his head, still a little pouty. "You okay?" He nodded.

"In England, actually." Ben said. "Riley, how fast can we get to Buckingham Palace?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask your new best friend?" He muttered. Catt's face lightened as she realized why he was upset. Ben just gave him a look and turned back to the French police officers.

"Hey." Catt slipped her hand into Riley's, grabbing his attention. "He's grateful. You know he is."

"He could show it." Riley murmured.

Catt smiled lightly, leaning forward and giving Riley a soft kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Riley, for finding that clue."

Riley blushed slightly, and grinned. "You're welcome, Catt."

"Come on, you two." Ben called as a cab pulled up. Rolling their eyes, Riley and Catt followed.


	3. This Doesn't Mean Anything, Right?

**Hey everyone!! So today was my last official day of classes!! All I have left are four finals, and I will be a SENIOR!! Obviously I am very excited. To celebrate, I give you a super-extra-special chapter, that I labored countless hours over. It's as good as I'm ever going to get it, and there is lots of excitement in this one!! Also, if any of you have seen the deleted scenes for _Book of Secrets_, Ms. Tenet, who appears later in the chapter, is based off the woman Riley dupes with all his crazy computer knowledge. IMO, that was the best deleted scene, not just because of Riley but because that old lady is pretty awesome too. Also, thanks to my reviewers!! Reviews are to Karina as the beach is to summer. So review, because then summer will suck!! (Wait, that didn't quite work... oh well.)**

**Excitedly, Karina  
**

**Disclaiming: Catt is mine. All other proper nouns are not.**

* * *

Catt groaned as she woke up the next morning, the two flights in twenty-four hours finally catching up to her. Blinking in the early morning sunlight, she let her feet hit the ground and stumbled out of bed, still gaining her bearings in the London hotel suite.

Detecting the scent of breakfast, she shuffled out to the kitchen area, and stopped. To her shock, it was not Ben, the early riser, sitting at the table, but Riley, who usually needed promises of food and money to be woken up before noon.

"Oh, hey." He said, looking up from his computer screen and steaming mug. "I didn't think you'd be up."

"I thought the same about you." Catt said, sitting down next to him.

"I get the opposite effects of jet-lag." He shrugged. "You and Ben sleep forever, while I don't sleep at all. I got about an hour's nap before I couldn't stand it anymore."

"Stand what?" She asked, getting up to get some food.

"That stupid sleeper sofa." Riley motioned towards the torture device. "I'm pretty sure it was actively trying to hurt me."

"Why didn't you take a bed?" Catt asked. "I thought the plan was you and Ben get the beds and I sleep on the sofa in the non-sleeper mode."

"That was the plan." Riley shrugged again, his face oddly blank. "But you fell asleep while we were in the bedroom talking, and you looked so cute that I didn't want to move you. So I let Ben take the other bed. He might have had a cow if we were in the same bedroom together."

"Oh." She said gently, thinking of his words. He thought she looked cute? "You didn't have to do that, Riley."

"I know." He shrugged again, a new habit Catt wasn't warming up to. "I wanted to."

"Thanks." She said. He turned and smiled at her as she placed a fresh cup of hot chocolate in front of him.

"You're welcome." He took a long sip, and his smile grew. "You know me too well."

"I figured the coffee was for Ben." She answered, sitting down with her own mug of hot chocolate. "So, what's the plan? I seemed to have missed that bit."

"Well, it looks like the only way in is through security." Riley maximized a window and showed her. "So I'm thinking we're going to get Ben intentionally thrown into their little mini-clinker, then I'll break him out. He can use the service elevator to get into the study."

"Okay." Catt studied the model of Buckingham Palace. "So what's my job?"

"You are going to distract as many guards as possible." Riley said. "My suggestion would be for you to lose your husband. Lots of hyperventilating and crying. And make sure to lead them all over here." He pointed to the corner farthest from the Queen's study. "That way, if anyone notices Ben's gone, I'll have a few minutes to cause a real distraction and he'll have some extra time to be gone."

"Sounds like a plan." Catt said, already thinking of what to wear. "Do you have a ring?"

"A…what?" Riley asked.

"A ring." Catt repeated. "No one is going to believe I lost my husband if I don't have a ring."

Riley glanced around the room, thinking. "Actually, now that you mention it…" He got up and walked over to his backpack, searching through the pockets. "I do." He pulled out a small black box.

"You do?" Catt asked, amazed. "Why? I though you couldn't even get a date."

"I can't." Riley admitted, tossing her the box. "It's Ben's. He got it before Abigail threw him out." He said with a certain significance.

"Ohh." Catt whispered. "He was going to propose?" Riley nodded. "That sucks. Why do you have it?"

"He didn't want to keep it around after she kicked him out, but he didn't want to get rid of it completely either." Riley explained. "He's still keeping a little bit of hope. So he gave it to Patrick, under the condition that he never has to see it unless he asks to. I think Patrick's got a plan of his own, because he gave it to me before we left."

"Of course Grandpa has a plan." Catt shook her head, opening the box. "Holy shit!" She exclaimed in a hushed voice. It was a pair of rings, a solitaire diamond and accompanying wedding band, both in stunning white gold. "That rock is practically the size of a quarter!" Catt murmured.

"I'd say a dime, actually." Riley said, looking over at the square cut stone. They exchanged a look, and he said. "Come on, put it on."

"I can't. It's not mine." Catt shook her head. "It's Abigail's."

"She's not here." Riley reminded her. "It's our only option, Catt."

She stared at the rings for second, then shook her head. "I can't do it." She said. "Do it for me."

"Fine." Riley took her hand and the rings. He hesitated. "This doesn't mean anything." He said. "Me putting the rings on you. It doesn't mean we're married or anything. Right?"

"Not in a legal sense." Catt said. "And we're not saying any vows, so not in the eyes of any higher power."

"Right." Riley said. "Not because I don't like you. I mean, I do. But…I'm not going to marry you right now." Riley caught himself, and quickly added. "Or ever. Because, you know, you're Ben's niece. And he probably wouldn't like that."

"Right." Catt agreed, trying to keep her breathing regular and her perspiration under control as Riley held her hand. "Ben most likely would have a cow."

"Okay." Riley slipped the rings on her finger. "They fit perfectly."

"That's not possible." Catt muttered. "Abigail is at least a size smaller."

"Maybe Ben was going to get them sized later." Riley offered up as an explanation.

"Yeah, maybe." Catt agreed, beginning to feel a little light-headed. "I think I'm going to go get Ben up and get ready."

"Sounds good." Riley agreed, watching her walk out. As soon as she was out of sight, he let out a deep breath. "Get yourself under control, Poole." He muttered, getting up to get a glass of water. "She's Ben's niece. Just remember that. Ben's niece."

_oOoOoOoOo_

After a lot of poking and prodding, and a fair amount of primping on Catt's part, the trio was ready to leave. Arriving at Buckingham Palace was a bit of an adventure, as security was particularly strict. After showing ID, they were allowed in. Riley immediately departed, having given both Ben and Catt earpieces in the suite. Catt went to the bathroom, getting her earpiece in and checking her lip gloss.

"Ben, Catt, you there?" Riley asked.

"Yeah." Ben muttered. "I'm upstairs."

"I'm in the downstairs bathroom." Catt said.

"Okay, so remember: Ben, wait for my prompts. Catt, keep them as far away as you can, but after Ben causes trouble and gets locked up."

"Okay." Catt wandered out, joining a group very impressed with a chair sitting in a corner. She listened to a man explain the origins of the chair as she waited for Riley to let her know Ben was locked up. One word, though, made her turn her attention away from the furniture.

"Abigail!"

"Abigail?" Riley repeated Ben. "Wait, what's she doing here?"

"What…what are you doing here?" Ben asked, sounding worried to Catt's trained ear. She heard a bit of mumbling as Abigail answered. Ben sighed, and replied. "Well, I appreciate you trying to help, but it's kind of a bad time right now." Catt had to stifle a snort of impatience, sure that Abigail's reaction wasn't going to be favorable. "It's a bad time." Ben repeated. Catt shook her head. "You're the one making a scene here."

This time, Abigail was so loud Catt heard her reaction "I'm not making a scene!"

"Oh boy." Catt murmured.

"Wait, Ben, we want to make a scene..." Riley reminded him

"Well, fine!" Ben yelled, making both Riley and Catt wince gently. "If that's how you want it, let's have it out right now!"

"Ah, so subtle." Riley commented as Catt stifled her laughter.

"Oh, let me guess. It's the wrong place! It's the wrong time! I'm wrong again! I'm wrong about us, wrong about Thomas Gates, and wrong to think that you would like the Queen Anne chair!" Catt looked up to realize that Ben was on the staircase right above her. Trying to keep in her laughter, she melted into the group a bit, making sure that she could see the hilarity that was about to ensue.

"You were wrong to ASSUME I'd like the chair!" Abigail insisted, coming down the stairs after Ben.

"You see? You see, everyone, listen to this!" Ben ran towards the group Catt was hiding in, grabbing their attention. He caught Catt's eye, but quickly turned away, keeping his face straight. "This is more interesting than that." Catt caught the hint and looked on, interested. "She thinks that even when I'm right, I' m wrong! Isn't that right? Abigail, just because I answer a question quickly, it doesn't make it wrong."

"Not when the right answer is something we need to figure out together, as a couple. That's what couples do, Ben!" Abigail insisted.

"Here we go." Riley muttered, noticing the uniformed man walking towards the little show.

"Sir, you and the missus need to take it outside." He muttered, placing a hand on Ben's shoulder.

"Oh, now look what you've done, you brought the little bobbies down on us." Ben exaggerated his eye rolling. "You take the missus outside. I'm staying right here." Suddenly, he jumped up on the banister. Catt lowered her eyes, trying to conceal her flushing cheeks and reminded herself that no one other than Riley and Abigail knew she was related to the crazy man on the banister.

"Good afternoon, sir." A thick accent suddenly said. Catt spared a glance to see that Ben had been caught sliding by a very important looking guy.

"'Ello." Catt winced at the terrible accent, still grateful that no one knew she was related to him.

"Been drinking, have we?" The head guard asked.

"Just a nip." Ben started, his horrible accent still in place. "Just popped down to the pub for a pint, bit of all right. Going to arrest a man for that?" He asked. "Going to detain a blighter for enjoying his whiskey?"

Catt spared a glance at Abigail, who got a sudden, unexpected, knowing smile on her face. "I think she knows." She muttered, hoping Riley would pick up on her meaning.

"That's enough, sir"

"Bangers and mash!"

"Sir?"

"Bobbles and squid! Haggis!!"

"That's it! Dismount the banister!" The head guard pulled Ben forcibly from the banister as several others moved in on Ben and Abigail. More shouting from her uncle ensued, and Catt rolled her eyes, trying to keep her face from being too horrified. Abigail was protesting, but Catt knew that she had been sucked into it now.

"That was brilliant." Riley said, clearly amused.

"That was mortifying." Catt muttered as the people around her started to gossip about the crazy drunk American. "I refuse to be related to him anymore."

"Good luck with that." Riley snickered. They could still hear Ben arguing with Abigail, the buzz of security doors in the background. "Wait for my signal, Catt, and then subtlety break into hysterics."

"Yes, because subtlety runs in the family." She snorted, separating herself from the group. Opening her purse, she began to rummage around, pretending to look for her cell phone. After a few moments, she gave up, and stood to the side, glancing at her watch every few seconds. She began to act impatient, tapping her foot anxiously.

"Okay, start crying and looking for a guard." Riley said. "Door one, coming up, Ben."

Catt thought of her earliest memory, the day of her mother's funeral. The day itself was not what brought on the tears, but the memory of how miserable Ben and Patrick were that day. Breakfast had been a silent affair, punctured only by the clanking of spoons. Tears instantly formed in her eyes as Ben's face flashed across her mind with the grim slash his mouth had been all day.

"Oh no." She muttered to herself, glancing around nervously. Spotting the dark coat, she raced forward, remember to raise her voice a few octaves. "Sir! Sir!"

The man turned, looking concerned. "What's wrong, miss?" He asked.

"I can't find my husband." Catt moaned, sure to use her left hand to wipe away a tear. "He went to the washroom nearly twenty minutes ago, and I haven't seen him since."

"Where did you last see him, Mrs…" The man trailed off.

"Poole." Catt instantly replied. She paused for a moment, shocked that Riley's name had left her mouth, even after they had decided on a fake one in the car.

"What?" Riley asked in her ear before realizing what had happened. "Catt, no!"

"Where did you last see your husband, Mrs. Poole?" The man repeated.

"Right over here at the men's room." She motioned over to closest door, which happened to be farthest from Riley's current position. "I saw him go in, but he hasn't come out yet."

"Let me check." The man disappeared through the door, which gave Riley a chance to start yelling at Catt.

"What was that?" He asked, his voice shaky. "If they know I'm missing, they will look for me! That's not what we're trying to do, Catt!!"

"I'm sorry," Catt moaned. "It slipped."

"Why?" Riley asked. Catt didn't have an answer.

"He's surely not in there." The guard had returned. "Are you sure he couldn't have slipped out without you noticing?"

"No." Catt shook her head. "I was watching the door the whole time." She paused, as if the thought had just occurred to her. "Except when I was looking for my cell phone. He might have slipped out then. But that was only…" She checked her watch. "A few minutes ago."

"Then he couldn't have gone far." The man mused.

"Is there anyway you can get more people to search for him?" She asked, her tears still falling. "I don't want to lose him! Not on our honeymoon."

"I can try my best, Mrs. Poole." The man started talking into his wrist. "Gents, we have a man missing. Name of Mr. Poole." He looked at Catt. "Description?"

"He's about this tall, dark hair, really pretty blue eyes, he's wearing a dark suit, white shirt, maybe glasses." She shook her head, starting to full out sob. "Please, just find him!"

"About 173 cm, dark brown hair, blue eyes, dark suit, white shirt, reading glasses." The man repeated into his wrist. "Last seen in public area 7."

"Please, we need to find him now!" Catt wailed. She suddenly saw three more uniformed men coming towards her.

"It's okay, Mrs. Poole." One reassured her, and she recognized him as the head guard, the one who had pulled Ben off the banister. "We'll find your husband. But to do so we need you to calm down."

"How am I supposed to stay calm when you can't find my husband!?" She cried, shaking slightly. "This is the man I love, not just another patron!!"

"We're trying, Mrs. Poole." He reassured her. "We have guards checking all the public areas, including the entrances and exits. But you need to help us help you. Is there anyway you can get in touch with your husband?"

"No." Catt lied. "He has my cell phone. He has almost all my stuff. Not much fits in here." She held up the small clutch that contained much more than she let on.

"I see." Two men came running up to report that still hadn't found Riley. "Ma'am, where would Mr. Poole go to look for you?"

"Well, nowhere." Catt answered simply. "I told him that I didn't know my way around, so I would wait right here for him."

"But if you were to go missing, where would he look first?" The man was clearly getting irritated by her, but Catt was more concerned about wasting time.

"The information desk, maybe." She shrugged. It would pull them further from where the service elevator was.

"Well, let's see if you've been asked for." The man took her arm and steered her towards the desk. Catt tuned into the chatter in her ear to see how far along things were. It seemed Ben and Abigail had gotten into the Queen's study, and were playing with a combination lock.

"Ms. Tenet?" The man asked the woman sitting in the nearest station at the desk. "Have you spoken to a Mr. Poole at all today?"

"A Mr. Poole?" The woman asked. Catt quickly described Riley, her tears still evident. "I'm sorry dear, I haven't seen anyone of that description. Is he a friend?"

"He's my husband." Catt moaned. "I can't find him. He went into the washroom nearly thirty minutes ago and didn't come out."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry Mrs. Poole." The older woman shook her head. "That's terrible. Are you on your honeymoon?" Catt nodded miserably. "I'm sure he'll turn up. We have the top security team in the nation. Nothing gets past them."

"Excuse me a moment, Mrs. Poole." The head guard suddenly said. "We have some news in the security room. Ms Tenet, will you stay with Mrs. Poole in my place?" The older woman nodded, but Catt began to panic.

"You can't leave me!" She insisted. "Not until we find Riley!"

"I'm sorry, but I must." He insisted.

"But the security room is on the other side of the palace!!" She exclaimed.

"He's going back?" Riley asked, checking the cameras. By this time, Riley saw that Catt had been warning him. "Thanks for the heads up, honey." He mumbled, pulling up a new screen. "Ben, get out of there."

"It will be all right, dear." Ms. Tenet was now talking again, and Catt forced herself to look at the woman. "I'm sure your husband will turn up. As I said, we have a top notch security team. This is one of the most secure places on earth." Just as the words left her mouth, the alarms started wailing. Catt looked up, trying to hide her knowing smile with a look of shock.

"Oh dear, what's this?" Ms. Tenet asked, looking around as if she would find an answer. "Come dear, we must evacuate."

"Not without Riley!" Catt insisted. She looked up suddenly, sure she had heard her name. Not seeing anyone, she turned back towards the elderly lady coming out from behind the desk.

"Come on, dear, we must leave." She took Catt's arm and pulled her towards the throng of people pouring to the exit.

"But what about-"

"Catt!!" This time she was positive that someone yelled her name. Turning around, she couldn't help but grin as Riley pushed his way through the crowd. Oddly enough, a huge weight lifted from her chest, as though he really had been missing.

"Riley!" She yelled, running back down the hall towards him. As she drew nearer, he pulled her into his arms, his bag on his shoulder.

"You were amazing." He muttered into her ear. Then, in a louder tone, added. "Honey, I thought you had been kidnapped!! Don't you leave my sight ever again!"

"I'm sorry, love." She said in a slightly elevated tone as she heard Ms. Tenet shuffle towards them. "Kiss me." She muttered seriously. She took a half step back, not removing herself from the circle of Riley's arms. He gave her a small look, almost to ask if she were sure. Nodding slightly, she moved closer again, and he lowered his face to hers. She felt her spine start to tingle as he came closer, the tip of his nose touching hers. Catt tilted her head, and just as their lips brushed she felt a hand on her arm, which had found its way around Riley's neck.

"I'm sorry, dear, but we have to evacuate." Ms. Tenet wheezed. "You and Mr. Poole included, dear."

"Of course." Catt blushed slightly. Taking Riley's hand and hoping he would ignore how sweaty it had become, she followed the older woman out the door, through the front gate, and clear across the street before thanking her and watching her walk down the street.

"You were brilliant in there." Riley muttered.

"Thanks." Catt grinned. "That trick with the alarms was pretty nifty, as well."

"Thanks." Riley said. He glanced around, and saw a bunch of guards looking their way. "We have an audience."

Catt glanced over, and saw he was right. "I think they are expecting me to be a bit more emotional." She said, stepping closer to Riley, facing him. "I was sobbing pretty bad inside. We should probably keep up the act a bit."

"Right." Riley whispered, his arms instinctively wrapping around Catt's waist again. "Keep up the act."

"Most newlyweds kiss a lot." Catt murmured, unsure of what she was even saying. Her mind seemed to be clouding over the longer she stood so close to him.

"Yeah." Riley breathed, his nose touching hers again. Catt closed her eyes, her mind completely lost now. Her body moved on instinct, her arms wrapping around Riley's neck as she closed the slight gap between their lips. Her spine became a lightning rod, sparks running up and down at all the sensations. His lips were warm and inviting, and she fell into his embrace as though she were made to fit. The few seconds they spent in that position stretched on for an hour, it seemed. Catt didn't want to move, and knew she didn't have to. Whatever was going on in that moment was perfect, and that's where she wanted to be for the rest of her life.

_oOoOoOoOo_

Ben and Abigail made their way safely from the building, following the current made by the crowd right out through the gates.

"Now where are those two?" Ben mumbled, glancing around for his niece and techie.

"Catt and Riley would have gotten out first, being on the first floor." Abigail too joined in the search, and spotted them much quicker. Her eye widened as she saw them together, her jaw dropping open. "No way!" She gasped.

"What?" Ben asked, spinning around. His gaze followed hers, and he swiftly turned an odd shade of purple. "No way is right." He muttered, and began marching towards them.

"Ben, wait!" Abigail ran after her estranged boyfriend, knowing he was about to something extreme. "Wait for a minute." She stepped in front of him and refused to let him by. "Think about this for a minute. What harm is it doing? None!" She explained, giving him no time to get imaginative. "It's actually helping the little act they have going on. You breaking it up would not be helpful, and quite destructive."

Ben fumed for a minute, then let out a sigh. "She's an adult now." He mumbled. "And she's only doing it for the act."

"Exactly." Abigail nodded, though in the back of her mind she doubted it was completely for the act. "But we do need to leave. So let's break them up gently."

"Right." Ben nodded, and the two briskly walked towards the kissing pair. As they approached, Ben cleared his throat, and the pair jumped, breaking apart.

"I see the act worked." Ben said simply. Catt was blushing slightly, but nodded.

"If you ever act like that in public again, I will ask Grandpa to disown you." She managed to say.

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" Ben asked, pulling out their prize.

"What'd we score?" Riley asked, taking the object from Ben's hands. As the four began to walk towards the car, Riley inspected the object, confused. "Wait…I went to Buckingham Palace and all I got was this old piece of wood?"

"Look at the markings." Abigail pointed out as Catt ran up to look. The three were musing on the markings, deciding they were pre-colonial Native American when Ben suddenly ran up to them, and said one word.

"Wilkinson."


	4. They Always Seem to Have Guns

**Hey!! Okay, so chapter FOUR is now up. I feel like I'm moving really quickly with this story. I have up through chapter 8 written already, so you guys are going to have to work hard to earn those chapters!! That means reviews, peeps, and lots of them. Come on, share the love!! I only have two finals left, and reviews help me in finals, so come on!! Don't you want me to pass 11th grade?? I know my logic is messed up, don't correct me. Just REVIEW.**

**Disclaiming: I own Catt. That's it.**

* * *

Ben broke out into a run, Riley, Abigail and Catt taking a moment to realize what was wrong, then following.

"What?" Catt turned and looked behind her. "Who?"

"He's the one who's after the treasure." Ben explained. "Remember, Catt, the guy with the Booth diary page?" She nodded. "He's after the treasure. He attacked your grandfather last night. Dad called to tell me when you were getting ready this morning. I tried to tell you earlier, but I didn't get the chance. I'm sorry."

"He attacked Grandpa?" She asked, incredulously Ben nodded. "I hate him." She muttered. "Don't worry about not telling me, it probably would have distracted me anyway." She glanced behind her. "Well, Ben, hate to bring more bad news, but he's got guys with guns."

"Great." Riley said. "Okay, I'll drive!"

Catt had thrown herself into the back seat with Abigail. Slamming the door, she glanced up front and saw Riley in front of her, grasping at an invisible steering wheel.

"We're in England." Ben reminded him, taking the keys and starting up the car. Catt watched the screen flip for the back up camera, noticing a large man walking towards them with a gun.

"Ben, the guns!" She reminded him.

"Get down!" He yelled. No one needed telling twice as the back window shattered.

"We're trapped!" Riley shouted, peeking up over the dashboard where they were blocked.

"Hold on." Ben put the car in reverse, his head level with the back up screen. "Keep your heads down."

"Ben, this doesn't sound safe!" Catt yelled as the car started to move.

"Yes, because being shot at is perfectly safe!" Riley replied.

Ben pulled out of the hotel parking lot at enormous speeds, backwards. The sensation was enough to make Catt slightly nauseous, but she kept her focus on the screen as he maneuvered through the small side street, trying his best to avoid people.

"Ben, Ben, DOG!!" Catt yelled. He slammed on the breaks as all but one of a group of dogs being walked began to scatter. The terrier mix, though, just stared at the screen, then ran forward and began licking the camera.

"No, get it away, I'm allergic!" Riley squirmed slightly, as Ben put the car in drive.

"Sorry!" Abigail and Catt yelled out the window to the woman who ran forward to claim the dog. Ben didn't wait for the rest of the conversation, and instead pulled forward, speeding down the street.

"Do you see them?" Ben asked, straightening up and driving normally.

"Yeah, black Land Rover." Catt yelled.

"Ben, they're getting closer!" Abigail warned as the SUV put on another burst of speed.

"What is their problem?" Riley asked, glancing behind him.

"Didn't get their happy pills this morning?" Catt shrugged, reaching out and grabbing the head rest to steady herself.

"Go left!" Abigail motioned, knowing her way around the city. "Go left!"

"Hold on." Ben said, not bothering to slow down for the turn. Catt grabbed Riley's shoulder, her nails digging in as they rounded the corner still going 80 mph.

"Oh no, that's bad!" Catt began panicking slightly as the black taxi cab began ramming them. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the street end up ahead and a red tour bus in front of them.

"Turn! Turn, turn!" Riley began repeating, feeling Catt's grip tighten before seeing the bus.

"Watch out!" Abigail yelled as Ben didn't take the turn sharp enough and rammed them into the side. There was more glass shattering, and Catt was beginning to feel like she was in Riley's Ferrari again with the top down.

"Is everyone okay?" Ben asked, speeding away.

"Alive." Catt said, making sure. "I wouldn't say being in the middle of a car chase is okay, though, Ben!"

"Just don't mention this to your grandfather." Ben yelled back.

"Oh yeah, Patrick is going to take this one wonderfully." Riley said.

"Come on. Come on." Ben muttered, stuck behind a beer truck.

"You know, this would be so much easier to handle if I were drunk." Riley quipped.

Catt glanced behind her, and saw another guy, but a similar gun. "Look out, more guns!" She yelled, ducking. A sudden explosion caught her attention, though, and she looked up to see beer barrels tumbled down in their path. Ben swerved, trying to miss them, but it wouldn't help. They were everywhere.

Glancing behind her, she yelled. "The taxi is out of the count. It got flipped."

"That's unfortunate." Ben mumbled, pulling ahead of the beer truck. Turning the car, he stopped, making the truck stop as well, for fear of hitting them. Catt tried to keep an eye on the Land Rover, and grinned when she saw it slam into the tail of the beer truck.

"Land Rover is smashed a bit." She reported and Ben put the car in drive and sped off.

"Go!" Riley started chanting, clearly itching to do the driving. "Go, go, go, go, go!"

"I think we lost them." Catt said, glancing out the window. "I don't see the Land Rover." Suddenly a cell phone started ringing. Catt, Riley and Abigail all exchanged looks at the unexpected sound.

"What is that?" Riley asked, then answered his own question. "Someone's phone." He turned to watch as Abigail pulled it out.

"It's him." She said, glancing at the screen. Catt took it, saw that she was right and handed it to Ben.

"You have his number in your speed dial?" Riley asked in disbelief.

"Oh shut up!" Abigail rolled here eyes as Ben hit talk.

"Mitch, this has got to end before someone gets hurt." He said in a surprisingly even voice. Whatever Wilkinson said was not agreeable, as the next words out of Ben's mouth were "Tell that to my father." Frustrated, he hung up. Riley, Abigail and Catt all gave him a look of confusion. He pulled down a street to find it full of people.

"What is this?" Catt glanced out the windows as Ben laid on the horn.

"Why are they standing in the middle of the street?" Riley asked as the people began yelling at them. Suddenly, everyone started looking behind them and running, horrified.

"Where are all these people going?" Ben asked.

"Why is everyone running?" Riley muttered.

"Running of the Bulls?" Catt mused. "No, that's in Spain."

"Oh no." Abigail moaned. Catt looked behind them and saw an all-too familiar beer truck being driven towards them by one of Mitch's men.

"He's right there, GO!" She yelled.

"Did I just run over a man's foot?" Ben asked, trying to avoid the panicking people and drive quickly away all in one go.

"Who cares?" Catt asked. "Just go!"

Finally, they reached the end of the tiny side street. Ben drove them through a bit of a maze of more tiny side streets until he found the large city street he was looking for. He did succeed in losing the beer truck, which couldn't fit.

"Land Rover, Land Rover!" Catt repeated as the SUV came into her sights behind them.

"Does this phone have a camera?" Ben asked, holding up Abigail's cell.

"No. No, it's broken." Abigail admitted. Ben rolled his eyes and threw the now useless equipment behind him.

"Okay, Riley, give me the plank." Riley handed it to him, a little wary of what was going to happen. Catt leaned forward, trying to figure out how crazy Ben's plan was going to be. "Hold on. We're gonna run a red light."

"Ben, bad idea." Catt quickly jumped in.

"London has automatic traffic cameras." Ben replied.

"I know, but there is a reason we aren't supposed to run red lights." Catt reminded him "Like death."

Ben ignored her, speeding up. Riley felt Catt's hands on his shoulders again, her nails biting through his jacket. She was shaking. Ben lifted the plank last minute, speeding through the red light.

"Hack into the London Police database and get a copy of the picture from that traffic cam." Ben said, lowering the plank and focusing on the road again.

"Okey-dokey." Riley snapped, gently removing Catt's claws from his shoulders. She stopped clutching his shoulder as soon as his hand entered hers, which made his shoulder feel better but made his fingers feel as through they were about to snap.

"What? Can't do it?" Ben asked, keeping his face blank. Catt knew that if Riley couldn't do it, they needed a new plan fast.

"No, I can do it." Riley clarified, as if he didn't want anyone present to doubt his abilities. "I just don't like that you assume I can do it."

Abigail laughed. "Why thank you, Riley." She said, a meaningful glance at Ben. Riley looked from her to Catt, unsure of what just happened.

"You just took her side and didn't even know it." Catt laughed, shaking her head. Ben concentrated on steering them through the city and over a bridge. As the Land Rover lined up with their rental, he stuck the plank out the window. Just as Mitch's man reached for it, he threw it behind him, sending it over the edge and into the river below. The Land Rover came to a halt as Ben sped away.

Catt looked behind her, finally deciding that they had lost them. "They're gone." She sighed, leaning back against the now ruined leather interior. "They're gone."

"For now." Ben added, driving back to the hotel. "But as soon as he needs the next clue, he knows where to find us. It's not over yet."

"Ugh." Riley moaned, falling back against his seat. "Can we just go home now?"

"Our flight leaves in six hours." Catt reminded him. "So soon." She turned to Abigail. "Coming with us?"

"That was the point in coming here." She said. Catt nodded.

"By the way, I didn't get to say this before because of the large men with firearms, but it's nice to have you back, Abigail." Catt said. "Even if you're not really happy with any of us."

"Thanks, Catt." The blonde smiled. "And to the truth, I did miss you. My own friends are rather boring compared to you."

"I'm just awesome, that's why." She said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Something on her hand caught Abigail's eye, and before she could whip it out of sight, Abigail had lifted her left hand to eye levels, curious.

"Care to explain the rings?" She asked, giving the younger woman a look.

"Rings?" Ben's attention was caught as well.

"Ben, eyes on the road!" Riley tried to distract him, but he was too late, Ben's eyes widened as they landed on the sparkling set resting on Catt's finger.

"Oh, these." Catt blushed, trying to think of a story, but her mind was blank.

"They're mine." Riley said. Abigail gave him a funny look, and he explained. "They're my grandmother's, I mean. Her engagement and wedding ring. They get passed down through the family, and as the only child I inherit everything."

"Oh." Abigail nodded. "So you and Catt really did get married?"

Catt suddenly burst into a coughing fit, having choked on air at her words. She shook her head, tears starting to roll down her face. Riley simply looked horrified, Ben angry and suspicious

"No." Catt finally spit out. "We're both very much single, and not married to each other."

"Then why are you wearing the rings?" Abigail asked.

"No one is going to believe I'm married and on my honeymoon unless I'm wearing rings." Catt shook her head, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh." Abigail nodded, but Catt detected that she knew something was afoot. "Okay."

"I mean, really, why would I marry Riley?" Catt asked, and surprised even herself with the sudden bitterness in her voice. If she had been looking up front, she might haven seen the sudden and swift look of hurt that crossed Riley's features at her words.

_oOoOoOoOo_

Catt slid into her seat on the airplane, relieved to be away from Ben and Abigail. The two were bickering like crazy, and it was really starting to bother her. They were so clearly meant to be together, but both were being stubborn little kids.

Riley sat down next to her, having given her the window seat again. He had tried his best to act normal, but even Ben noticed that he had been oddly quiet. _Well, you would be quiet too, Ben, if you went through the emotional roller coaster I went through today_. He grumbled in his mind, glancing at the girl next to him. She was ignoring airplane regulations and had pulled out her iPod and cell phone. He smiled slightly at the composition notebook and package of pens sticking out of her carry-on. She had bought them right before they boarded, claiming that she had run out of paper. He knew she just needed a break from Ben and Abigail, so he followed her. Catt was much more cheerful now that she had changed out of her dress and heels, and they spent nearly twenty minutes picking out the notebook, which was black and white checkered.

As she shut off her phone, he noticed the wedding rings still on her finger. Although Abigail had warned them that could get lost much easier than if she put them back in box, Catt insisted on wearing them. Looking at the rings brought her words from earlier back, and the same hurt expression reappeared momentarily. This time, though, she looked up, and saw him staring at her like that.

"Riley, what's wrong?" Her voice was soft, both to keep from disturbing everyone and to comfort him.

"It's nothing." He shook his head, starting to turn away. With her left hand, she grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Talk to me." She said, turning to fully face him.

"I just…" He took a deep breath, trying to keep from blushing. Silently, he thanked the airline for splitting up their seats so that they were as far away as possible from Ben. "Something you said made me feel…" He couldn't find the words. He knew what he wanted to say and what he couldn't say, and they were almost the same thing.

"What?" Catt asked. Riley's gaze fell to her left hand. She followed, and looked down. "Oh, Riley." She sighed, taking his hand. "Is this about what I said in the car? About not wanting to marry you?" He nodded, afraid to speak. "It's nothing personal." She said. Riley could tell she was choosing her words carefully. "I mean, it's not because you're a bad person. You're not. People like Ian and Mitch are bad people. You're a good person. One of the best." She smiled slightly. "I would be lucky to marry you. But, I…I don't love you like that."

"You're lying." Riley said suddenly. Her dark eyes widened, caught in the act.

"No, I'm not." She argued.

"Yes, you are." He insisted. "You're playing with your hair, and only ever twist your hair like that when you're lying." He was right. It was a nervous habit from her childhood, one she thought had been secret.

"Riley," she laughed shakily. "Stop being ridiculous."

"I'm not." He insisted. "I know you, Catt. You can't keep secrets like that. You can tell me that I'm a terrible person. Really, I'll be okay with it."

"That's what you think I'm lying about?!" She asked in disbelief. "Riley, you're an amazing person. You're incredibly smart, and not just book smart, but witty, and you're really nice, even though you won't admit it, and you are so funny that it hurts, and you're nearly as protective as Ben, just in a different way. You're amazing. I couldn't lie about that."

"Then what are you lying about?" He asked.

"I'm just trying to fool myself into thinking I don't love you!" She finally came out and said. Suddenly, the airplane seemed very still, even though they were in the middle of take-off. Catt felt her breath heavy, and was suddenly shaking.

"Wait…what?" Riley asked. Catt tried to look away, but suddenly Riley's hand was tipping her chin up towards him, forcing her to look at him. She blushed at the touch. "What do you mean?"

"I…I can't explain." She shook he head gently. "There are too many emotions involved. I just…I really want to do this again."

"Do what?" He asked, but was cut off as her lips connected with his for the second time in 24 hours. This time it was shorter, sweeter, and when she pulled away, Catt was blushing.

"See what I mean?" She whispered. "It's complicated."

"Yeah." Riley agreed. "But…it feels right. Doesn't it?"

She smiled and nodded. "Everything with you feels right. It's just…" She glanced behind her.

"Ben." Riley finished.

"Exactly." She said. "He means well, but he's so overprotective."

"Well, maybe we shouldn't tell him yet." Riley said. "You know, just give him time to figure out what's going on with Abigail."

"Keep a secret?" Catt cocked an eyebrow, which Riley recognized as both Ben and Catt's "I don't think so" face.

"Not a total secret." Riley explained. "Just…not tell Ben right away. We'll tell your grandfather as soon as we get home. And Abigail too. Just…not Ben."

Catt sighed. "Okay. But we have to tell Grandpa first thing. And no being sneaky. Not only will Ben notice if we're both mysteriously missing at the same time, but it will just make me feel worse."

"Deal." Riley kissed her, settling back into his seat. "But I still think you should take the rings off."

"But they're so pretty!" She whined gently. Riley just smiled and shook his head.


	5. Dealing with the Grandparents

**Okay, so here's chapter five. You guys need to give me extra-special reviews for this one, seeing as I'm suffering from terrible writer's block. I've written halfway through chapter nine, and now...I just can't move forward. I'm stuck. So please, mucho kind words, as I'm terribly stuck. Anyway, here's chapter five. **

* * *

"Abigail!" Patrick threw open his front door, happy and surprised to see the blond woman heading up his front walk.

"Hey Patrick." Abigail called, rushing up to greet the older man. "It's nice to see you."

"It's good to see you two together again." He commented, ignoring Catt, who was shaking her head furiously.

"Oh, well, we're not." Abigail informed him flatly.

"Oh." Patrick said, stepping aside to let his son and his estranged girlfriend in. "I was hoping to get rid of some of these boxes."

"Haha, funny." Ben and Catt both said at the same time. Ben walked off, but Catt sidled up next to her grandfather.

"We need to talk, as soon as we can ditch the bickering wonders." She whispered, jerking her towards the now arguing couple.

"What did you do?" Patrick asked out of instinct.

"Nothing bad." Catt said with a reproachful look. "Ben just isn't ready to handle this right now." Catt looked back to see Riley struggling with the luggage. "Let me help you." She leaned out and grabbed the handle, tugging it as Riley pushed. Together, they got the cart inside.

"Thanks, hon." Riley said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze and quick kiss. She smiled, and as Riley chased after Ben to pull up the picture from London, Patrick gave his granddaughter a look that clearly wanted an explanation.

"See?" She said, leading him into the kitchen. "We need to talk." She pushed him gently through the door, and yelled down the hall to the group "Grandpa and I are gonna get some food together, okay guys?" There was the gentle murmur of agreement, and Catt entered the kitchen.

"So you and Riley finally figured it out, did you?" Patrick asked, pulling the water pitcher from the fridge.

"What do mean?" Catt asked, pulling down glasses.

"It was obvious that there was something going on between you two, at least emotionally." Patrick explained. "It was in the air, or something. It was cute. You were like two school children who couldn't admit that you liked each other."

"Really?" Catt said. "How come no one mentioned it?"

"I didn't want to scare you." Patrick explained. "But as I understand, your friends have figured it out and been on your case for while."

"Yeah." Catt sighed. "So, now that it's…real, do you…you know, approve?"

"You're asking for approval?" Patrick asked. Catt nodded. "I didn't think you would. You were always more rebellious than that."

"Not for something this important." Catt said. She closed the fridge, looking her grandfather full in the face. "I really like him, Grandpa. And I really want things to work out with him. So it would help a whole lot if you and Ben would approve."

"Ben knows?" Patrick raised an eyebrow.

"Well, no." Catt admitted. "Not yet. Riley and I decided to tell you and Abigail first and then hopefully we'll be able to introduce the idea slowly to Ben. You know he's going to be the hardest to convince. I'm still 15 to him, and although he certainly likes Riley, he sees him as the nerdy techie he was when he first met him, and he's grown up since then. We're both adults now, but Ben doesn't see that."

"I see your point." Patrick said. "Okay. I like Riley. He's a good man. He will take care of you. Not that you need care, exactly. But he won't hurt you." Patrick hugged his granddaughter, who had cracked a smile. "I approve."

"Thanks Grandpa." Catt said, smiling.

The moment was broken by a knock at the door. Catt looked up to see Riley poke his head in. "Can I come in?"

"Yes." She said, and he walked in, looking nervous. Patrick and Riley stared each other down for a moment, then Patrick reached out his hand.

"Come here, kid." He said. Riley crossed the room and took Patrick's hand, shaking hard. "Just be good to her."

"I will, sir." Riley said.

"I know." The older man nodded. "You two are good together." He smiled. "Now, let's see this treasure map."

Grabbing the now full tray from the kitchen counter, Catt followed two of her favorite guys out of the room.

"There you are, Dad." Ben said as they entered the room. "Take a look." He turned Riley's laptop slightly, and Patrick sat down to read it.

"I can't read the whole thing." Patrick shook his head. "But I can tell you that these are definitely pre-Columbian Native American markings."

"Easily 500 year old." Ben said.

"Easily." Patrick said. "I can identify one symbol." He pointed to a symbol on the end. "Look at this. Do you know what that is?"

"Sacred calendrical?" Ben guessed. "I don't know."

"That symbol is Cibola." Patrick informed them, much more excited than his voice let on. "Cibola."

"Cibola." Ben repeated, his hand at his forehead.

"Okay, third time's the charm." Riley piped up. "What's Cibola?"

"It's the lost City of Gold." Catt breathed.

Riley laughed. "No really, what is it?" Catt gave him a look. "Seriously? The City of Gold?"

"Yeah." Ben said, then wandered off. Catt followed, straight into the library/den/Ben's room. He began searching the bookshelves, and Catt realized story time was coming. Rolling her eyes, she wandered back to the kitchen, searching for the batch of chocolate chip cookies she had made before she left.

While on her journey, she felt her phone vibrating. Seeing that it was Greta, she flipped it open.

"Catt, don't say a word yet." Greta warned her. "We got a gig for Friday night. I know you're helping Ben and whatever, but this is kind of a big deal, and we obviously can't do it without you. We're playing for the First Triplets."

"What?" Catt yelled. "The First Triplets? As in Nick, Nathan, and Natalie, the spawn of the President?"

"That's exactly it." Greta said. "I guess they somehow got into one of our shows earlier and really liked us, so for their sweet sixteen bash they asked us to play. Apparently Nathan has a bit of a crush on you. Nick is more into me, though, and Natalie thinks Matt is just, like, a babe." She finished in a cute, preppy voice.

"How can I turn down the President's kid's birthday party?" Catt asked, grinning. "Not only can he have me thrown in jail, it actually does sound like fun."

"I know!" Greta squealed. "I mean, food, cake, a show, and money, all in one night? I'm in."

"Me too." Catt agreed. "So has everyone else confirmed interest?"

"We can't get a hold of Lacey." Greta said. "But the guys and I took the call, so we told Jake that we would bring you two around to it. I mean, the money is huge and it's kind of a big deal."

"You can say that again." Catt mumbled. "So is there a dress code for this thing or what?"

"We still haven't figured that out." Greta said. "The White House staff wanted an answer from us before they gave away too many details."

"Sounds cool." Catt nodded. "Call me when you get more details."

"Sure thing, babe." Greta said. "I'll talk to later."

"Later." Catt hung up, successful in finding the cookies. Grabbing some, she made her way back to the den/library/thing. By the time she returned, Ben was finishing his story.

"After General Custer search for gold ended with his last stand at Little Big Horn, it became clear that none would ever find it."

"Really? No one can find a LOST city. Imagine that." She said, slumping down on the couch and handing Abigail and Riley each a cookie.

"Ben, can you imagine if the Confederates had gotten their hands on the City of Gold?" Patrick asked. "My God."

"I'm going to go talk to her." Ben announced. Patrick turned to face his son. "You're coming with me."

"No!" Patrick exclaimed.

"Hey!" Ben said, chasing after his father. Catt, Riley and Abigail turned from their spot on the couch to watch. "No one else can translate it!"

"There are others! There are several others!" Patrick argued.

"For ancient Native American? There's no one better." Ben said.

"Who?" Riley asked. Catt opened her mouth to respond, but Abigail held up a hand, and she fell silent.

"Look, Ben, I can't go with you." Patrick said. "It's been what, 25 years?"

"32." Ben corrected.

"That long?" Patrick moaned. "There's a reason we haven't spoken in 32 years. We have nothing in common."

"Me?" Ben asked. Catt laughed, and earned herself a glare from both of the Gates men.

"Oh, yes, of course. And I bet she's just as proud of you as I am." Patrick insisted.

"Who?" Riley asked again.

"His mom." Abigail whispered.

"Who?" Riley turned to Catt who was wearing a smirk similar to Abigail's.

"My Grandma Emily." She whispered.

"You have a grandmother?" Riley asked. Catt nodded, then stood up and got between the glaring father and son.

"So, does this mean I'm going too?" She asked Ben. He nodded. "Well then, this shouldn't be so bad. I'll make cookies before we leave. She'll be so proud that I didn't manage to kill myself or destroy her family recipe that she might not even notice Grandpa is there."

"Sounds like a plan." Ben said, taking a moment to grin at his niece. "Which reminds me. I've been meaning to ask where you found your grandmother's recipe."

Catt shrugged, with a mischievous grin. "In a book."

_oOoOoOoOo_

"Will you relax?" Ben asked as the stormed (At least, that's how Catt thought of it) the halls of a building on the University of Maryland campus. "It's going to be fine."

"Of course." Patrick nodded, not really believing it. "I should look at the bright side. It's been a long time. Maybe she's lost her memory and she won't recognize me."

"Grandpa!" Catt admonished quietly, the tin of fresh cookies safely in her hands.

"What?" He asked, trying to look innocent. Catt smiled as they approached the familiar door stamped with "Dr. Emily Appleton".

Suddenly that door opened, and a student around Catt's age flew out in a fury, yelling "I HATE HER!" She pushed through the group without another word, leaving Catt to glare at her retreating back.

"We're in the right place." Patrick said. Catt hit him gently on the shoulder as Ben rolled his eyes and walked in.

"I think I'm going to go ahead and take myself out of the line of fire for this one, guys." Riley said, stumbling back a bit. Catt let Abigail go past her, and when she was sure she was in the room she grabbed for Riley's hand.

"You sure?" She asked, looking down at him.

"Well…" Riley looked from inside the room, then back down at his feet. "She sounds scary."

Catt laughed. "That's just Grandpa. I mean, it is his ex-wife after all." She felt rather than saw him shift nervously. "But it's okay. You can stay out here."

"Really?" Riley asked. "Because if you want me too, I'll go in."

"No, it's fine." Catt shook her head, and leaned down and gave him a quick kiss. "But I can't promise there will be any cookies left."

"I ate four on the way over." Riley smiled, pulling her closer. "I don't think I need anymore." He kissed her again, and finally let her go. Smiling, she entered her grandmother's office.

"Catt!" She was suddenly swept up in her grandmother's arms, and as Catt hugged her back she realized how much she missed seeing her. "Oh, honey, you look beautiful! Something's changed about you." The older British woman stepped back, examining her granddaughter as though she were an ancient artifact. "I don't know what yet, but something happened to you. You look…brighter. But you're not pregnant." It was a statement, not a question. Ben coughed nervously at the word. "But you are glowing. Something good happened to you."

"Oh, no." Catt shook her head, blushing. "Nothing new. I did manage to make you something, though." Catt walked over and set the tin on the desk, uncapping it. Suddenly the office was filled with same sweet vanilla smell that was now filling Patrick's house as well.

"Oh, honey, they look delicious." Suddenly Emily turned and spotted her ex-husband. "Oh." This was a very different 'oh' than the one she had treated Catt to.

"You see?" Patrick insisted, walking forward. "One syllable. A knife through the heart!"

"Oh no." Ben laughed, finding no humor in the argument he felt brewing.

"She can do that!" Patrick insisted.

"Yes, and I can also track the whereabouts of my toothbrush." All grandmother-ly instinct had vanished. Catt found herself sliding over to Ben, who put an arm around her while keeping a close eye on his parents.

"I was not the one who left the toothbrushes in Marrakech." Patrick insisted. "I stowed them both in the travel case, as instructed!"

"Yes, and you also insisted on loading the luggage into the taxi!" Emily defended.

"I didn't insist! I loaded the luggage!" Patrick explained.

"Yes, but not the travel case!" Emily insisted.

"The travel case is not luggage!" Patrick yelled. "The travel case goes into the luggage! Who was in charge of packing the luggage?"

"I could not get the travel case into the luggage because it was full with that stupid rug you bought. You thought it had some kind of secret stitching."

"Mom…" Ben tried to interrupt. Catt shook her head.

"It did have stitching!" Patrick jumped in. Emily continued though, and all Catt heard was something about green phony luggage.

"Grandma!" Catt jumped in. "We actually want you to take a look at something."

"What is that a picture of?" She asked, getting suspicious instantly. Catt silently thanked Riley for having the sense to crop it to include just the plank, making it far less obvious that Ben had been running red lights in the center of London.

"It's very interesting. We think it might be Olmec." Ben steered the conversation in his direction.

"Yes, it is." She said, pulling on her glasses and inspecting the symbols. "Yes, definitely proto-Zoquean."

"We were hoping that you could translate it." Patrick broke in. Catt shook her head silently, but he didn't take notice.

Emily stopped to glare at her ex-husband. "Yes, of course you were." She looked from father to son, and a sudden thought occurred to her. "This doesn't involve another treasure hunt, does it?"

"Mom, this is actually very important." Ben pressed.

"All right." She looked back down at the page. "What have we got here? This…this glyph here means "bird." And that means…" Suddenly she glanced up. Patrick had tried to sneak over from his spot on the couch. One look from Emily, and he sat back down. "Uh, noble bird. 'Find the noble bird; let him take you by the hand and give you passage to the sacred temple.'" Catt, Patrick, and Ben exchanged an excited look that didn't miss Emily's gaze. She laughed. "You think this is a treasure map to Cibola don't you?"

"That is exactly what it is." Patrick proclaimed.

"No, Patrick, this glyph doesn't mean Cibola." Emily argued. "It means 'the center of the world'."

"Sounds like Cibola to me." Catt mumbled.

"You know, you used to like it!" Patrick walked towards them. "She fell in love with me on a treasure hunt!"

"That was not love. That was excitement, adrenaline and tequila." Emily argued. Catt could tell that the comment cut her grandfather deep. "I was just trying to get course credits."

"Mom." Ben tried interrupting again, but Catt just shook her head.

"The treasure-hunting paid off, in case you haven't read the papers lately." Patrick argued.

"Ben, I think I'm going to cut out early." Catt mumbled. Ben watched her for a moment, then nodded.

"Go on, I'll take care of this." He said, giving her shoulders a quick squeeze. She smiled at him and quickly left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Couldn't take it?" Riley asked, standing up.

"Does it sound that bad?" She mumbled, walking towards him.

"Yeah." He admitted. She sighed, and welcomed his embrace.

Setting her head on his shoulder, she sighed. "They're terrible. I will never make fun of Ben and Abigail again."

"I can hear them." Riley was drawing small circles on her back, and the sensation made her shiver. "How come I'd never heard of her?"

"Who, Grandma?" She felt Riley nod. "I don't know. I'm sure you did, and just didn't realize that that made her Ben's mom. I never saw her as often as Grandpa, obviously. They got divorced when Ben was seven. She used to tell me stories that she told him. Old Native American legends. You know, where the Sun and the Moon are brothers or whatever." She laughed slightly. "I loved those stories. There were a few that I always made her tell me. Like the one with the hummingbird." Catt smiled at the memory.

"Tell it to me." Riley mumbled.

"Some other time." Catt promised. She turned her face towards his, meeting his eyes. "You know, your eyes are really pretty."

"What?" Riley asked, taken aback by her comment.

"Your eyes." Catt smiled, her fingers playing with hair at the back of his head. "I've never seen a blue like that. And they change shades. That's how I know when you're angry or upset."

Riley laughed, shaking his head. "You're something else."

"I know." He kissed her, a much different kiss than the few they had already shared. This one was stronger, more solid, more passionate. She felt it down to the tips of toes, her knees going week. It was a movie kiss, just without the swell of music and special effects.

"Wow." Catt breathed as they finally broke the kiss. "If I knew that was how I would be rewarded, I would have started complimenting you a lot sooner."

"I've got a question." Riley asked. Suddenly, the door opened, and Catt and Riley jumped apart. Patrick came out first, followed by Abigail, who noticed the sudden movement and gave the two parties involved a curious look. Next Ben came out, followed by Emily, who came to say goodbye.

_oOoOoOoOo_

Walking around the campus, the group felt slightly dejected. Ben was telling Catt and Riley what Emily had said about having half a treasure map, which made Catt look up, confused.

"But…we knew that." Catt said. Patrick and Riley looked at her, confused.

"You did?" Patrick asked. "How? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because obviously you have the tendency to OVERREACT!!" Ben yelled, causing Catt to blush as various students looked at them funnily.

Both Gates men looked at each other nervously, shifting their weight. Catt rolled her eyes, knowing what they needed to do. Gently, after a few minutes, she coughed slightly, spurring them on.

"I'm sorry." Patrick said politely.

"So am I." Ben mumbled. Catt coughed again. "Oh, all right." Ben rolled his eyes at his niece, trying to hide a small smile. He and Patrick hugged, knowing that Catt required it from them.

"So where is it?" Patrick asked.

"The clue in Paris referred to the Resolute Twins." Catt shrugged. "I always assumed we would need to see both desks to get the entire clue."

"She's right." Abigail said. "The other half must be in the other Resolute desk."

"The Resolute desk. _The_ Resolute desk?" Patrick glanced from Catt, to Ben, to Abigail. "The President's desk?" Ben nodded, still thinking.

"The President?" Riley glanced at Catt. "Which President? Our President!?"

Abigail shook her head, laughing slightly. "Unfortunately, yes."

"But that means… so we have to... the White House?" Riley looked dejected, and Catt realized he was already thinking of the daunting task of hacking into the system.

"The Oval Office, to be exact." Ben clarified.

Patrick just blinked at his son. "Why would I overreact to that?"


	6. Interrupting Transformers

**Sorry for the long wait, guys. I had to finish out the school year and stuff, and start my summer homework which I got nothing done on. Then I just forgot about this story. But I remember now, and I spurred on to post this by my AP test results. I got a four out of five on my Lang-Comp test!! And I totally beat my cousins scores, which makes me feel better. So, anyway, here we go with Chapter Six!!**

**Oh, btw, anyone see The Dark Knight over the weekend?? Tell me what you thought!! I was completely amazed and loved it!! I've never seen so many amazing actors in one movie before. Aaron Eckhart totally blew me away!**

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No sooner had the crew arrived home then Ben and Patrick started pulling books off the shelves. Catt and Abigail decided that it wasn't the best time, and the two set to one of Catt's favorite activities, ordering take out at one end of the dinning room table. Riley at the other end, eschewed more traditional methods and did his research on his laptop.

"Wikipedia's down." Riley mumbled to himself.

"Did you crash it?" Catt asked, pulling out a wad of menus. "What do you guys want?" She yelled into the other room.

"Whatever." They two yelled back. Abigail rolled her eyes.

"They're helpful." Catt muttered. "Riley, suggestion?"

"Nothing with names I can't pronounce." Riley said. "Chinese. Beef and Broccoli."

"Okay." Catt pulled out the Panda Garden menu, writing down Riley's request. Abigail leaned over and read her messy scrawl.

"Wait, he didn't say fried rice." She shook her head.

"He meant it." Catt said. Abigail gave her a look. "Trust me."

"I did." Riley nodded, then grinned at Catt. She smiled back, and Abigail saw a look pass between the two of them.

"Looks like you do this often enough." She said, starting to clean up the menu explosion. "So, care to explain what's up with you two?" Abigail asked as Catt wrote down Ben and Patrick's order from memory. Catt's pen froze, and yet another look passed across the table. "Don't even think about playing stupid. Ben may be too preoccupied to notice, but I'm certainly not. Something is going on between you two."

"Abigail, it's not a big deal." Riley quickly muttered, not lifting his eyes from the screen.

"How is something between you two not a big deal?" She asked, glancing over at Ben. "Ben certainly would think it was."

"Which is why we're not telling him until this whole treasure thing blows over." Catt whispered. "Riley's right, it's no big deal. We're just...together."

"Exactly." Riley nodded, glancing up.

"I knew it." Abigail shook her head, smiling. "I knew it would happen."

"Yeah, you and Grandpa both." Catt said. Riley glanced up. "When I told him, he said it was about time."

"It was obvious to me from the first time I heard about how Riley joined the team." Abigail shrugged. "You found him, Catt. There must have been reason why."

"Abigail, since when do you believe in fate?" Catt asked.

"I always have." Abigail shook her head gently. "It was always just stronger with you too. More obvious, you know. You two look good together, and that's always the number one indication."

"Yeah, you believe in fate so long as no one is talking about you and Ben." Catt rolled her eyes as her grandfather entered the room.

"The Resolute Desk is near the south wall in the Oval Office. Look at this." Patrick set a book on the table, showing everyone a familiar looking photo of JFK and John-John.

"Small door on the front of the desk." Ben observed.

"FDR had that put in so guests couldn't see his wheelchair." Patrick said.

"Guys." Riley motioned to his computer screen. "Take a look at this." Catt saw the advertisement at the bottom for the White House Easter Egg Roll. Catt suddenly got an idea. One glance at Ben informed her that he had the same idea.

"This could work." Abigail nodded, looking up at the Catt and Ben.

"Why, Abigail, I do believe it's time for you to make a date with your new boyfriend." Ben suggested. Patrick looked utterly confused.

"I think you're right." Abigail nodded. Catt laughed, and Riley just grinned.

"This is going to be fun." Catt muttered.

_oOoOoOoOo_

"You two certainly look comfortable." Ben muttered, coming downstairs in his light gray suit. Riley and Catt were still in their pjs, sprawled across the couch watching _Transformers_.

"No, don't hurt Bumblebee!!" Catt cried, her eyes wide in horror.

"Catt, he'll be fine." Riley said. "You know that. You've only seen this episode a hundred times."

"I don't care, he's making me nervous." She said, watching the robot fight. Instinctively she snuggled closer to Riley, who put an arm around her.

"Where's Abigail?" Riley asked once it was clear that Bumblebee would win the fight.

"Right here." The blonde answered, sweeping through the room. She had a light yellow dress on, and Catt looked up to notice Ben eyeing her carefully.

"Maybe you should take her out for lunch after her date with Connor." Catt suggested.

"I don't think she'll let me." Ben muttered.

"It's worth a shot." Catt said. Ben shook his head as Abigail entered again.

"So, Riley, Catt, are you two and Patrick going to meet us afterwards?" She asked.

"Umm…" Catt looked up at Riley. "Are we?"

"I didn't think we were." Riley said. "I was pretty sure we were going to sit here and watch cartoons all morning."

"Think again." Abigail said. "Meet us outside the White House when we call you."

"The White House?" Riley whined. "But that means we have to actually get up, get dressed, and leave here at least twenty minutes before you call."

"So it looks like you three will be having brunch nearby." Abigail said, snapping her purse shut. "Ben, are you ready?"

"Yes." Ben nodded. Waving to the two on the couch, they left. Riley groaned.

"I really wanted a _Transformers_ marathon." He said.

Catt snuggled into his chest, closing her eyes. "We've still got some time." She figured. "I mean, it's going to take some time to get there, to actually see all the ceremony stuff that happens, then to have the actual egg roll. Connor won't be able to meet them until after the roll, as he's working. Then to get into the desk, and everything..." Catt trailed off. "We have time." She summed up.

"Yeah." Riley agreed, intertwining his hands with Catt's. "Which means we get some time together."

"I still want to finish this episode." Catt said.

"Good, me too." Riley said as the commercial break ended.

Twenty minutes later, Patrick walked in to find the two curled up together, both yelling at the robots on TV.

"Stop being mean, Megatron!!" Catt yelled.

"Come on, beat him!!" Riley yelled.

"Okay, then." Patrick just turned back around and headed into the study. "Just be sure you two are ready by 10:30."

"Yes Grandpa!" Catt yelled.

_oOoOoOoOo_

"Mmm, thanks Riley." Catt said as he set her drink down on the table. She gave him a quick kiss before remembering that her grandfather was there. "Sorry." She blushed, looking down.

"Don't be." Patrick said. "You two are not nearly as bad as Ben and Abigail were."

"They were rather disgusting, weren't they?" Riley said, handing Patrick his coffee and sitting down.

"Not as gross as Abigail and Connor." Catt wrinkled her nose at the thought. "He creeps me out."

"How much time have you spent with him?" Riley asked.

"Well, I met him when Abigail and Ben were still together, when we went to that thing…that dedication thing." Catt said. "He was weird. And then he kept asking how Ben was, but you totally knew it was because he wanted to pounce on Abigail. I always said that Ben was dying of cancer, but Abigail finally caught me."

"Catt!" Patrick scolded gently.

"No one is so low as to pounce on a woman whose boyfriend is dying." Catt argued. "Well, actually, I learned that Connor was. Either that or Abigail ratted me out as a liar."

"I wouldn't blame her." Patrick said.

"I was protecting the family." Catt scolded. "Anyway, didn't work."

"But this treasure hunt is working." Riley brought up. "I mean, I haven't seen those two bond like this since the last time we were sneaking around looking for ancient treasures."

"Abigail apparently likes shiny things." Catt shrugged.

Suddenly Riley's cell phone rang. "Hey Ben." He said, flipping it open. "Yeah. We'll be out in a minute."

"Time to hit the road, kids." Patrick said, standing as Riley closed his phone.

_oOoOoOoOo_

"It was empty." Ben told them as they met near Ben's van.

"Someone must have taken it." Abigail added.

Patrick threw his hands up. "The brightest men in our country sat at that desk for over a hundred years. Of course one of them found the map."

"Take a look at this." Ben pulled out his digital camera, and Catt instantly leaned in to look.

"It's the symbol stamped into the wood." Ben explained. As Catt looked, she knew the symbol was familiar.

"The presidential seal." Patrick said. Catt shook her head.

"No, it's not." She frowned, noticing the subtle difference. "The eagle is holding a scroll instead of olive branches." She looked up at Riley, realizing where she had heard of the symbol before. They exchanged one look of surprised excitement before Riley suddenly separated himself from the group. Catt's expression changed to confusion, but then she noticed his fists clench.

"I'm not sure what this is." Ben was shaking his head.

"What do we do now?" Patrick asked.

"Did none of you read my book?" Catt understood the note of bitter frustration in Riley's voice, but everyone else just turned and looked confused. "The eagle clutching the scroll."

"Do you know what it means?" Ben asked, disbelief creeping into his voice.

"Yeah." Riley said, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "But it's not something I can tell you. It's something I have to show you. In my book."

Ben turned around and began fishing around in the back of the van. Catt took the opportunity to give Riley a fierce hug.

"I knew I saw that symbol somewhere." She whispered.

Riley gave her a quizzical look. "You read my book?"

"Why wouldn't I?" She asked. Riley grinned and kissed her quickly. Letting her go, he glanced over Ben's shoulder. "You didn't even open it?"

"I was moving." Ben shrugged. Catt glared at him.

Riley tried to hide his disappointment, but Catt heard his sigh. "Chapter 13." As Ben flipped through, she took Riley's hand, and was surprised to find how tense it was. He was good at hiding his emotions, but it was still obvious he was angry

"The President's Secret Book?" Ben asked, finding the chapter.

"The President's Secret Book." Riley repeated. "It happens to be a collection of documents for presidents, by presidents, and for president's eyes only. I'm not just talking JFK here, guys. The 18 and half missing minutes from the Watergate tapes. Did the Apollo really land on the moon? Did it? And the coup de gras: Area 51"

Abigail laughed. "Come on, Riley, that's an urban legend."

"Is it, Abigail?" Riley was going into crazy obsessive mode, and as Catt stood with Patrick at the side, she couldn't help but laugh a little. "Is it?"

"But that's just totally-"

"Crazy?" Riley interrupted her.

"Yes!" She exclaimed.

Hmm." Riley said, pretending to have to think. "Because last time I checked, we pretty much make our living on crazy."

"He's got a point." Ben said, flipping through the chapter. He stopped at a photo, examining the document.

"I guess so." Abigail sighed, the rational part of her still hanging on to disbelief.

"Same symbol." Patrick pointed at the top of the photograph. Catt glanced at her grandfather, who looked back at her and winked. Catt grinned, knowing that Riley had at least her grandfather convinced.

"It was released in '66 under the Freedom of Information Act. The eagle and the scroll. The secret symbol in the President's Book." Riley summed up. He glanced at Catt who smiled, oddly proud of him.

"So you're saying that whatever was on that plank is now in the President's Secret Book." Patrick nodded, knowing that at least they had a general idea of what they were looking for. All eyes turned to Ben, who was still staring at the photograph of the document, though not really seeing it.

"Ben," Riley said, his voice softer, a little less sure. "If it was you trying to convince me, you'd have less evidence and I would already believe you by now."

"We all would." Catt added.

Ben nodded, more to himself. "You don't know where it might be kept, do you Riley?" He finally asked.

"No." Riley shook his head. "Part of the point is that it's a secret book, Ben,"

Ben nodded, still thinking. Finally, he said. "I'm going to go talk to Sadusky. I need to go alone, though."

"Well, I'd make that appointment for this afternoon." Catt said. "We do have a gang of gun-happy Southern boys after us." Ben nodded. Catt rolled her eyes, "Okay, so who's up for lunch?"

"Ben and I need to change before we do anything." Abigail said. "How about you three go find a place, we change, Ben will go talk to Agent Sadusky and I'll join you guys?"

"Good plan." Patrick said, walking back towards the car. "Come on, kids."

"Yes, Grandpa." Catt rolled her eyes, grabbing Riley's hand and dragging him with her. She waited until they loaded into her Subaru before questioning him.

As she merged into traffic behind Ben and Abigail, she spared Riley a quick look. "So, what was that all about?"

"What do you mean?" Riley asked. Catt snorted.

"Don't play dumb." She scolded gently. "You only ever avoid a question when you don't want to admit the answer. Why did you almost go Incredible Hulk on us?"

"It's nothing." He shrugged, the same nonchalant look on his face that he had been wearing before.

"Come on, kid, it's okay." Patrick said from the passenger seat. "Something's up. First you act funny back there at the White House, then you gave me the front seat. What's up?"

"I'm just…annoyed." He finally said. "I mean, if Ben proposes an idea, I accept it as fact. I bring something up, and it takes confirmation from an FBI agent?"

"Riley, he's Ben." Catt said. "That doesn't make what he did right." She added hastily, sensing that Riley was going to interrupt. "But that's how he is. We all know that. If I brought up a secret book, he wouldn't believe me any easier."

"Except that he would." Riley said. "You're his little angel. He'd just see it as you being a late bloomer or whatever. But it's like all I'm supposed to be good at is computers, when I'm not. I know other stuff too."

"I know you do." Catt took the red light as an opportunity to turn around and face Riley. "I know. And Abigail knows. And so does Grandpa. Ben will figure it out eventually as well. He's just too preoccupied with treasure at the moment to see any of the people in his life."

"Yeah, you're right." Riley said, taking her hand. "You'd think Abigail kicking him out would be a hint, but apparently not."

"Ben's special like that." Catt smiled, ignoring the honking from the other cars. "Fine, I'm going!" She yelled, turning back around to speed through the green light.

"Please don't kill us." Patrick said, gripping the door tightly.


End file.
